What Happened to the Jews of Arabia?

A story that should make every Jew shudder.

Did you know that Saudi Arabia once hosted a thriving Jewish community? For almost a thousand years (three times longer than the Jews have been in America), Jews lived in the oases of Teyma, Khaybar, and Yathrib (later known as Medina), in the northern Arabian Peninsula. According to Dr. Hagai Mazuz, an Orientalist specializing in Arabic language, Islam, and Islamic culture,“The Jewish community of northern Arabia was one of the largest ancient Jewish communities in the history of the Jewish people.”1

They were powerful and wealthy. They were respected by the local Arabian tribes for their religion, culture, erudition, and literacy. They built castles on mountaintops and developed productive plantations. They had military prowess, horses, and advanced weaponry. And they were almost totally annihilated in the short span of a few years.

Their story should make every Jew shudder.

The Jews of Medina were divided into three groups: The Banu Qaynuqa were blacksmiths, weapon wrights, and goldsmiths. The Banu Nadir had date plantations. The Banu QurayUa were wine merchants. These groups often quarreled. Sometimes the hostility among them broke out into actual fighting.

When Mohammed fled from Mecca in 622, he went to Medina. At first, he entered into an alliance with the Jews. He studied in their study halls and adopted many of their customs into his incipient religion (e.g. not eating pork). But when, after two years, Mohammed could not convince the Jews to accept him as a prophet and convert to his religion, his attitude turned toward open hostility. He instructed his friends to murder and decapitate Ka’b Ibn al-Ashraf, a renowned Jewish poet and chief of the Banu Nadir (date farmers tribe), and ordered his followers, “Kill every Jew you can.” 2

Mohammed then besieged the Banu Qaynuqa (blacksmith tribe), knowing that the other two Jewish tribes would not come to their aid. Although the Banu Qaynuqa were proficient warriors, the lack of food and water due to the siege weakened them to the point of surrender.

Stop the story here! If I were reading a Hollywood screenplay that developed like this, I would reject it as unrealistic and absurd. Here the protagonist, Mohammed, has openly declared his intention to kill every Jew. And he has started his killing campaign with the grisly beheading of the head of the date famers tribe.

Is Jewish unity such a bitter pill that Jews would rather swallow cyanide?

Mohammed’s forces at that point were weaker than the combined Jewish forces would have been. Why didn’t the date farmers and the wine merchants unite to break the siege and save the blacksmiths? How could they sit on their hands and let their brethren perish? Even if they hated their fellow Jews, surely they should have realized that uniting in order to eradicate the murderous Mohammed’s forces would be in their long-term self-interest. And these are supposed to be smart Jews? With a sneer, I would toss this screenplay into the wastebasket.

History, however, is less sensible than Hollywood. The other two Jewish tribes did nothing to save the Jewish blacksmiths. After the surrender, Mohammed wanted to slaughter the vanquished tribe, but his ally Abdullah Ibn Ubayyy prevented the massacre, and instead they were exiled to Edri (now in Jordan).

Mohammed confiscated their considerable assets. Strengthened by captured Jewish wealth, one year later Mohammed turned his attention to the next Jewish tribe, the date growers. To ensure that the tribe of the wine merchants would not come to the rescue of their fellow Jews, Mohammed made an alliance with the wine merchants.

This is crazy! The reviewer in me, who has rejected many a far-fetched plot, cannot abide this one. The Jewish wine merchants must have drunk their own stock and become totally plastered to ally themselves with a sworn enemy of the Jews against their own people. Is Jewish unity such a bitter pill that Jews would rather swallow cyanide?

Mohammed’s forces laid siege to the strongholds of the Jewish date farmers in 625. Like the previous Jewish tribe, they succumbed to the siege. Again Abdullah Ibn Ubayyy intervened, and instead of slaughtering the vanquished Jews, Mohammed exiled them to the city of Khaybar, which, according to Muslim tradition, was inhabited by descendants of the Jewish priestly tribe.

Three years later Mohammed conquered Khaybar, the wealthiest city in northern Arabia. Because the Muslims did not know agriculture, Mohammed permitted most of the Jews to live as dhimmis, officially second-class citizens who had to pay exorbitant taxes. Eventually the second Caliph banished the Jews of Khaybar, in obedience to Mohammed’s policy that permitted no religion other than Islam to be practiced in Arabia.

Back in Medina, the wine merchant tribe had only two years to relish their position as the sole surviving Jews. Then, in 627, Mohammed, with 3,000 soldiers, laid siege to their fortress. The Jewish tribe had only 450 trained warriors. Because Abdullah Ibn Ubayyy had died a few months before, the Jews knew that no one would intercede on their behalf. The leader of the besieged Jews proposed that they either convert to Islam or, similar to Masada, kill their own women and children to prevent their being ravished and enslaved, and then fight the Muslims to the death. The Jews rejected both options and offered to surrender and leave Medina.

Mohammed rejected their offer. The vanquished wine merchants tribe, who had twice refused to help the other besieged Jewish tribes, suffered the worst fate. The children were sold as slaves; the women were given to the victorious soldiers “for the Muslims to use,” and the men (except for three who agreed to convert to Islam) were decapitated in the marketplace. According to Muslim tradition, the blood of the decapitated Jews flooded the marketplace of Medina.

A large, powerful, affluent Jewish community was destroyed in just three years. Was it destroyed by Mohammed’s forces or was it destroyed by its own divisiveness?

Our sages say that the Holy Temple was not destroyed by the superiority of the Roman forces. It was destroyed by sinat chinam, senselesshatred among Jews.

“Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” Apparently the Jews of Arabia did not learn from our tragic history.

Ibid. Dr. Mazuz, who is a Senior Advisor to the Gatestone Institute, based his article, “Massacred in Medina” on exclusively Muslim sources.

Sara Yoheved Rigler’s all-encompassing online marriage program, “Choose Connection: How to Revive and Rejuvenate Your Marriage” is available to Aish.com readers at a special price. Click here for more info: http://www.jewishworkshops.com/webinars/connection/

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About the Author

Sara Yoheved Rigler is a popular international lecturer on subjects of Jewish spirituality. She has given lectures and workshops in Israel, England, France, South Africa, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Panama, and over 35 American cities. She is one of the most popular authors on Aish.com, world’s biggest Judaism website, and is a columnist for Ami Magazine. Sara Yoheved Rigler is the author of five best-sellers: Holy Woman; Lights from Jerusalem; Battle Plans: How to Fight the Yetzer Hara (with Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller); G-d Winked; and Heavenprints . She gives a weekly Marriage Webinar for Jewish Workshops on a spiritual approach to marriage, with hundreds of members throughout the world. She lives in the Old City of Jerusalem. Her newest book, Emunah with Love and Chicken Soup, the story of Henny Machlis, the Brooklyn-born girl who became a Jerusalem legend, was was released in November, 2016. Her website is: sararigler.com.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 61

(45)
Anonymous,
July 27, 2015 1:57 AM

clarification

1st the 1st comment here is very informative about jewish expulsion and massacre in arabia ..but re this article i see the source is meant to be from muslims sources but can i have a copy of dr ibin's? article 'massacre in medina'? coz muhammad said rapist should get the death penalty and here it says he gave his soldiers jewish women to use so i am not sure if this information is true...and in judaism it is only finable...

Dvirah,
March 14, 2016 6:03 PM

Late Reply

Remember that unlike our Torah, which comands the same law for "the native and the stranger", most other systems apply only to their adherents. So it is for Moslems.

(44)
Anonymous,
October 30, 2014 4:41 PM

Ari Rondel Part III

The Yazidis, Kurds, Christians who are aboriginal to Iraq experience genocide from the descendants of the Arab Muslim occupiers who formed the ISIS/ISIL. Turkey occupied Northern Cyprus in 1974, ethnic cleansed out all the Christian Greek Cypriots from Northern Cyprus and brought in Muslim Turks from mainland Turkey to settle the newly created empty spots. The Turks also massacred a few thousand Christian Greek Cypriots. Turkish troops are still there. There is a wall between the Turkish and Greek part of the island. The separation wall goes through Nicosia the Capital of Cyprus. Cyprus is close to Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean sea. During World War I Turkey did genocide on the Christian Armenians. Today, if in Turkey someone says that Turks did the Armenian genocide it results in three years jail.

Anonymous,
February 13, 2016 8:22 PM

Turkey was invaded and dominated by the Young Turks (Jewish)

People need to wake up and end all MSM lies. So we can go back and have peace.

(43)
Anonymous,
October 30, 2014 4:39 PM

Ari Rondel Part II

More than 1,000,000 Jews were ethnic cleansed out of the Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Most of these countries were Arab. The Jews fled without their possessions, money, properties, businesses, etc. They were never compensated. An example is Libya which had over 100,000 Jews prior to 1948. By 1967 it had zero ( 0 ) Jews left. Jews lived in these lands well before the Arab Muslim occupation of these lands. By far, most of these dispossessed Jews fled to Israel. Israel accepted them and integrated them in the Israeli society. The 800,000 Arabs who moved out of Israel were never integrated in any Muslim country. They were used by the respective political elites for their own gain. The Arabs who stayed behind in Israel are equal citizens and are represented in the Israeli parliament called the Knesset, Israeli Supreme Court, military and some attained high military rank, diplomatic corps, etc. Most Israeli Arabs opt out from serving in the Israeli military. Road signs, postal stamps, etc are all written in Hebrew and Arabic. The Jews who fled from Muslim lands left behind far more assets than the Arabs who left Israel. Turkey occupies part of the old Kurdish homeland/country and oppresses the Kurds. The Kurds are more deserving of an independent country than the Palestinians. The Kurds used to have their own country; they have their own culture, language, alphabet, etc. The Palestinians do not have these attributes. The Muslim Arab Egyptian occupiers in Egypt oppress and discriminate against the Egyptian Christian Copts who are actually the aboriginal Egyptians. In the Maghreb North Africa the Berbers who are also the aboriginal people are being also discriminated by the Arab Muslim occupiers.

(42)
Anonymous,
October 30, 2014 4:36 PM

Historical Facts and HistoricalTreaties

. Ari Rondel Siegman ignores history and historical treaties. First there was the Balfour Declaration of 1917. Which mandated a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Next came the San Remo Conference, in Italy on 19-26 April 1920 which confirmed the Balfour declaration of 1917. Next came the Treaty of Sevres 10 Aug 1920 which drew the boundaries of Palestine. This included present day Israel, Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza. This area was designated to be the national home of the Jews and temporarily was to be administered by Great Britain. Next on 24 July 1922 the League of Nations confirmed the San Remo and Sevres treaties. The League of Nations was the pre WW II precursor of the United Nations. The Arabs in Palestine prior to World War II ethnic cleansed the Jews during different riots out of Hebron, Safed, etc. East Jerusalem was the original site of the Hadassah, Hebrew University, Jewish Quarter, etc and of course the Wailing Wall. The Jordanian occupiers destroyed 58 of the 59 synagogues of the Jewish Quarter of East Jerusalem, that they used the headstones of graves in the Mt. Olives cemetery to pave walkways for their latrines and ethnic cleansed all the Jews from East Jerusalem. The Jews were ethnic cleansed out of East Jerusalem in 1948. Post WW II UN due to Arab countries and Muslim countries voting block and oil power partitioned the Land of Mandate Palestine in an Arab and a Jewish state. The Arabs attacked the newly reborned Jewish state and when hostilities stopped there was an armistice with an armistice line. Meaning there was no peace treaty and no formal final boundaries. That is where we are still today.

(41)
Anonymous,
July 17, 2013 4:37 AM

Divisiveness today

Divisiveness today is in the form of the left leaning Jews voting for left leaning politicians that are not at all interested in Jewish causes or Israel. How can we reach these people? Although the religious are ready to reach them, they have no interest in reaching the religious. How true is: Am Yisroel B'li Torah, hee k'guf b'li neshama. Moshiach now!

(40)
Sarahmint,
January 12, 2013 7:46 PM

Thats a good story. Not to mention the price to pay for being a coward a.k.a. anti-war activist.

(39)
Paul,
December 20, 2012 9:20 AM

scary

Oh Man that was sickening to read. I always feel so disturbed when I read history. Its not stories it actually happened to a whole tribe. I can't even imagine the horror of knowing you lost your kids, being sold, wife's handed around. In Australia or Asia I have never heard any of these accounts of History I had no idea there was such severe persecution every where.
Israel should tell some of these stories in the west, people legitimately think Israel is just crazy paranoid, I Did.
After studying up on all this I actually think Israel has been pretty restrained. I worry about the most pathetic things in my day I would be a wreck if I lived in Israel. What makes this so scary is you know Saudi Arabians to this day are no different then then they were in 622. I highly doubt there is another Abdullah Ibn Ubayyy.

(38)
Ari Rondel,
November 17, 2012 4:14 PM

History will repeat itself.

As a lapsed Jew I am affraid that history will repeat itself.
Palastinians had their land stolen by the British and Americans to give to the Jews because of what happend in WWII.
They done this because they had guilt!! they new what was happening in Germany but chose do to nothing, no sorry, the British and the USA did do something, they refused entry to the Jews to their respective countries.
This was after Hitler told them to take the Jews or they would perish.
All the British and Americans have done for the Jews, and that ain't much, all they have done, is put them in an impossible position because of the 'stealing' more and more land for illegal settlements, because if you are a Jew from Timbucktoo or any where else you can live in Israel, and to live in Israel you have to push the Palestinians further and further from their own land.

(37)
mgoldberg,
August 4, 2012 3:57 PM

The author is incorrect

The author is incorrect, and tragically wrong. It was not sinat china that authored that genocide and exile in arabla. The arabs, his own tribe, had no idea as to how sociopathic his ideas were and to what length he would go to conquer and obtain. Nor did the jews.Just as today- such as the author did not have the ability to call evil evil and say... Islam was and is evil, mohammed was and did evil and the jews then couldn't and the jews now can't. Mrs. Rigler can't. All she can say is to blame the jews for disunity. Which is tragically erroneous.
All we have to do is examine Mohammed's stated Qu'ran, his actions, his history and say those words. But we are so miserably correct we never can say it. So we die. It wasn't Sinat Chinam- it was blindness.

miller,
December 22, 2013 11:08 PM

the real answer

The real reason is not "Sinat Chinam" it is found in Deuteronomy 28. until we believe, the curse will continue

Gary Katz,
October 10, 2014 8:49 PM

There can be more than one proximate cause

Say what you will about Mohammed and his followers, but the article's point is still valid: if the Jews had combined forces, the evil would've been defeated before it got any traction. This has been repeated throughout history, of course, whether Hitler taking Sudetenland or Turkey not smashing ISIS, which is just across its border.

(36)
Nathan Siegal,
August 1, 2012 8:34 PM

Our people have been an exile from Arabia

Hi, I am a Jewish man by birth and I think it's terrible that no Synagogue or Church is allowed in Arabia now. My people the Jewish people have tried to live at peace with Muslims but they want the Jewish people to be destroyed because of Islam, it is so sad with all the rights Muslim Arabs have in Israel. I loved the article and thank you Aish for clarifying this story of too much truth.

(35)
Anonymous,
July 30, 2012 10:16 PM

that story that would make jews afraid are u nuts where did u get proof of that; I am askenazi. Doesbt sound like either religion.

(34)
Alexander Hersh,
July 29, 2012 7:05 PM

Israel's appeasement of the Muslim Arab World

The Government and People of Israel have given the custodianship of the Temple Mount Compound, site of the First and Second Holy Jewish Temples at Jerusalem, to the Islamic Judicial Council. The Muslim Arab religious authorities permit the Temple Mount Compound, which is the Holiest Place on Earth to be used for picnics, soccer games and even the throwing of rocks or stones. Why ? Because the Temple Mount Compound is the 'Makom haKodesh', 'Terra Sancta', the Holiest Place for the Jews. This is an absolute desecration of the site of our Holy Sanctuaries !! Seven years ago, the Israeli Army and the Jewish population withdrew from Gaza for the sake of 'shalom' - peace. In June 2007, that avowed enemy of Israel, Hamas was elected by popular 'Palestinian' Arab support and came to power in Gaza. Hamas continues to launch attacks against Israel with its missiles and rockets, while Israel continues to supply it and the 'Palestinian' Arabs with food, medicines and fuel. It is quite apparent that Israel's policy of appeasement of the Muslim Arab World for the sake of 'shalom' - peace has failed, and failed abysmally !! Will Israel now consider relinqishing control of and withdrawing from the territories of Samaria and Judea too ?? Every time Israel retreats and withdraws from parts of the Holy Land for the sake of peace with the Arabs, they (the Arabs) demand more by moving the goal posts. We must confront stark reality. The Muslim Arabs, the 'Arab Spring' notwithstanding, will never accept the Jewish State of Israel, nor make peace with any kind of Israel - large or small.

(33)
Anonymous,
July 27, 2012 7:08 AM

Sadly, history appears to be repeating itself

yes, those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it...these are not meaningless words pertinent only to the Jews of Arabia in the 7th century, or from Jewish or Muslim sources in history....these events are playing out right now in America, teetering on the brink of an abyss. Right now we have the spokesman for the President who is no friend to Israel, absolutely refusing to name Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel....a President who is afraid to show moral courage and strength to the Muslims, to Israel's enemies and sits weakly by while they promise to destroy Her. On the other hand we have a candidate who promises to be a true friend of Israel, who is traveling to Israel and Prime Minister and Mrs. Netanyahu have invited the Romneys to join them for the traditional meal breaking the fast following sundown after Tisha B’Av. Who are the majority of American Jews voting for....as in the above retelling of the history of the Jews of Arabia, the truth would make an unbelievable script....why would the Jews of America support a leader whose interest and loyalties lay with Israel's enemies. The story of the Arabian Jews and the fact that America's Jews appear to be repeating the tragic story again is heartbreaking and difficult to understand.

(32)
Jack Dsraeli,
July 26, 2012 11:46 PM

Mohammed's dates of birth and death.

Did not Mohammed live from 570 to 620 c.e/?? Also, I studied Arab and Jewish history; nothing that I studied showed that the Jews of Arabia were all !! destroyed.

Chaya,
July 27, 2012 12:30 PM

Dates are correct...

Mohamad lived from 570 to 632 ce... Google it to verify.

Yirmiyahu,
August 1, 2012 7:05 PM

If the dates are correct then...

So if the dates are indeed correct (google is fallible and NOT always the most reliable of sources to utilize. Many websites profess accurate info when in fact it's only the case some of the time.) then what is the actual timeline for this story of the Arabian Jews and their demise that would coincide with the lifetime of Mohammed. He lived as a Merchant at the time he was in Medina married to a wealthy woman, so what would be the accurate dates to account when his actions with these tribes take place?

lynne,
July 27, 2012 2:57 PM

570-632

He left Mecca for Medina in 622.

(31)
Eliyahu,
July 26, 2012 7:58 PM

and it is the same thing today, many jews in America voting for Obama, which hates Israel

Anonymous,
July 27, 2012 9:08 AM

What?

And how does this relate to anything?

(30)
Alexander Hersh,
July 26, 2012 12:47 PM

ACHDUT - JEWISH UNITY

ACHDUT OR JEWISH UNITY IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL AND VITAL FOR THE JEWS IF THEY ARE TO SURVIVE AND STRENGTHEN AS THE JEWISH NATION OF ISRAEL IN THE HOLY LAND OF ISRAEL, SAMARIA AND JUDEA WITH UNITED JERUSALEM AS ITS CAPITAL ! TO THE JEWS OF ISRAEL AND THE WORLD, I SAY, HAVE WE NOT LEARNED FROM OUR TRAGIC HISTORY OF THE LAST 2,000 YEARS AND FROM THE HORRORS OF THE NAZI HOLOCAUST IN EUROPE WITH OVERT MUSLIM SUPPORT DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ????

(29)
David,
July 26, 2012 9:05 AM

A House Divided is a House Conquered !

So sad that the one's enemies are all too often within one's own household! How can we be delivered from such selfishness, pride, arrogance, competition, greed, and perhaps, most of all, un-forgiveness !?!

(28)
Keila Lucy Lemos Moura,
July 25, 2012 12:18 AM

Each Israeli must be responsible for each other Israeli!!!!

This tragic history teaches us the necessity to help our brothers where they're in sufferings. Our blood is the same blood, our hearts need be attached in genuine love and solidarity. These always be my feelings.

(27)
Anonymous,
July 24, 2012 11:06 AM

Jews against.

Anonymous said it all.
True or not, the lesson to br learned is very true.
When one group of pur people spit at, curse at , refuse to defend in the army of all Israelis, we become our own worst enemy.
What ever happened to, "A light unto the nations"?
T

(26)
Anonymous,
July 23, 2012 5:27 PM

Muslim Sources

We cannot accept this story as true as it is based on Muslim sources. Jewish sources show that during the time of the Temple there was sinas chinam, so we know that this sadly, exists. but I would not assume that a Muslim report on Jewish treachery against other Jews is true.

(25)
Viola,
July 23, 2012 5:51 AM

Israel

That is true. Jews need to be united and believe in Israel. That is the first thing G-d told to the first Jew, to leave the land of Shinar (Iraq) and his father's house and go to the land of Canaan (Israel). God gave that land to the Jews and their descendants forever, it is a promise! That is the destination of following the Torah, that Jews will live and prosper in their own homeland.

(24)
Ann C,
July 23, 2012 5:00 AM

Fact or fiction?

Conflicts are rising again among the Jews in Israel. Mofaz, the liberal who has his eye on being Prime Minister someday, made political friends with P.M.Netanyahu and, along with Livni, already has split with him. Protests going on about the military draft.
Please, dear people Israel, with much of the world spewing their hate at you, stay united. The Jews in every other country should stand with you as well. No more bickering among yourselves.

(23)
Yitz,
July 23, 2012 2:50 AM

Who says this is true?

Although Jewish unity is important, we do not have to accept a story whose sole source is from the Muslim tradition. Their tradition is based on whatever makes their leader look good versus the vanquished Jews. There may very well be more to this story, if it happpened as recorded here, then we will ever know. While it's nice to have a story to illustrate the impoirtance of unity, this story condemns, probabely falsely, thousands of Jews.

Anonymous,
July 26, 2012 4:43 AM

who says it is true

Thank you YITZ, exactly my thoughts.....the Koran is made up ...

(22)
Alma,
July 23, 2012 2:34 AM

Isn't our Father the same?

It breaks my heart and at the same time this situation makes me angry. I'm Sephardi and I feel rejected by some(I'm not saying all) Ashkenazi sometimes. I just think this is the worst that can happen. Why not leave differences aside and come togheter, the Torah is very clear when it comes to Mitzvot, but sometimes we try to be better than our brethen and this is wrong and all of us Jews need to be united if we want to prevail! Hine ma Tov....

Anonymous,
July 26, 2012 4:18 PM

Verry true, I see this to often by many American Ashkenazi Jews see Jews of Latin America (Both Sepharidc and Ashkenazi) as less Jewish and sub-class.

(21)
Mina Menkes,
July 23, 2012 12:26 AM

Did the rest of the Jewish world really all that they could when my father mother was sent to Auschwitz and his father to Dachua, and my mothers family was machineed gunned in ditches they were forced to dig, not mention just a few???

(20)
Daniel Moshe Johnson,
July 23, 2012 12:19 AM

This is a very powerful story that made me shudder, it also makes me want to board a plane and physical fight for Israel immediately. But there lies a battle outside of Israel that many other Jews and myself must become involved with, as the enemies try to persuade the globe against us literally. legislation in the UN is one thing, global tolerance is another. We can draw a comparison, but to fathom the possibility is not far fetched, this is the problem, and why it's important to reach the young folks and the leftist before it's too late. Islam speaks in the Koran what it speaks, and that is the total destruction of Jews and others non Muslims. This should not warrant only government official in Western democracies, but should expose the UN, who allows members of the Muslim Brotherhood to spew hate in a world forum. To all the Jewish scholars, lawyers, businessmen and women, judges, and so on, unless you have a design plan to change your identity or go underground, bride the Muslim brotherhood or surrender to them, if not, I advise you to wake and be smart. The Muslim brotherhood has all the evidence to track down Jews along with the help of their aids, I will not mention who, you should know, you are all wise and scholars. They have an agenda, and thank God, their are nameless warriors of Israel that will not let her fall, because of misguided, naive leftist opinion. The King of Saudi has enough resources to buy police forces, so what the hell you think, that you can trust your local law enforcement when the light hits red alert, they will be the first to turn. Evaluate the way your local authorities deal with anti-Semitic incidents, they don't care, time to support the Jewish warriors that will stand up, don't be naive, Israel was established for a reason, and that reason will become apparent very soon, so to avoid high profile exits under a Marshal plan, support Israel now, invest, and move, as it is important to be on the land when the next Mohammed come

(19)
Paladin,
July 22, 2012 8:23 PM

How quickly we forget.

Kind of hard to claim you're "the religion of peace", when your founder was a scheming murderous psycho. I wonder how many of it's practitioners really even know it's true history or care to? Or... perhaps they do, and take it as a point of pride which would explain a lot of things. And yet the world still tries to negotiate and appease.

(18)
Mark,
July 22, 2012 6:42 PM

Bro vs. Bro

I find that in many cases those who feel that they are superior
to other Jews, such as then orthodox and Chassidim are the most intolerant and removed from all others. I assume their education has failed to include the love and brotherhood that us lesser educated feel towards our Brethren and our need for unity.
It really is a wake up or vanish world we live in so my bro's join us
"other" Jews and survive.

Nechama,
July 24, 2012 11:26 AM

To Mark and all my Jewish brothers and sisters

Dear Mark,
I am an Orthodox Jew and have raised an Orthodox family of 10 chldren, thank G-d. We are specifically taught to love every Jew, no matter what his behavior or opinions. This is a commandment from our holy Torah.
I am happy to say that my family and I live this way. On what do you base the statement that we think we're better than you or that we are intolerant?
Have you had any personal experience to prove this? Do you show love toward all Jews, including the Orthodox ones you meet? Love is usually reciprocated. Of course, I believe that the Almighty wants every Jew to observe his Torah and that those who don't are mistaken. This does not keep me from caring about and loving my fellow Jews. You probably think differently. That's your choice. It is obvious, however, that you have never investigated the traditional Jewish outlook from up close.
Wishing you everything good!
Nehcama

Levi,
July 25, 2012 11:04 PM

not all

I was raised in Syracuse NY by parents who left the comforts of Brooklyn lived to live in a in a secular community, simply to reach out to non-re college students. Their Chabad House is still open to all Jews.

(17)
Bill,
July 22, 2012 6:34 PM

The Cry Continues today

The chant, "Khaybar Khaybar ya Yahūd, jaysh Muḥammad saya‘ūd" is still heard today. I pray that non-Jews will stand beside the Jewish people in unity against the opression and abandon political correctness. Let's call the philosophy of Islam what it is--a death cult.

(16)
Yael,
July 22, 2012 5:45 PM

The cry of "kill all the Jews" continues today. Jews need to unite and support each other in all places regardless of ideological beliefs. And for those who think they are safe because they do not practice Judaism, they will still be identified as they were during the Holocaust.

(15)
Anonymous,
July 22, 2012 5:39 PM

Never again.

Let us hope we remember the phrase "Never again." For whatever reason, Jews have enough enemies around the world. Therefore, we cannot afford being each other's enemies or divisive. Every single assault on Jews should be punished to the fullest degree. There is plenty of quotes in the Quran and evidence that Islam IS NOT a peaceful religion. As exemplified by the plethora of Muslim suicide bombers, obviously Muslim lives are dispensable. Jews lives are not. Let us all be vigil and never allow the atrocities of the past against Jews and other minorities to happen again.

(14)
ruth housman,
July 22, 2012 4:57 PM

A Hollywood Script

This would make for a B movie for sure and yet it happened. The reel world, or, the real world? Often life seems more like fiction than real when we contemplate events like these. I think the movie maker of Life Is Beautiful was trying to say this about the Holocaust. Can this really be happening? It feels like a horrific nightmare that will not end. Endless divisiveness and barbaric cruelty. I am rooting for the good guys and you are too. We can do it together.. meaning usher in a wave of unprecedented goodwill by doing tikkun olam and surely we need as Jews to honor and respect each other.

(13)
moriah,
July 22, 2012 4:09 PM

Distortion: Geert Wilders is a racist

The problem some have is with the Truth. The truth and history tend to put some people in a negative light. Political correctness wants to avoid that uncomfortable awkwardness and replace it with a feel-good, 'fair' and equitable solution for every situation. Lie number one: Every nation and culture contributed in a positive way in the development of our world. That is how we got here. Leftist Western culture agreed on code words and political correctness instead of the uncomplimentary truth. Now everybody is good, we're all winners, Islam is a religion of peace, anyone who disagrees with Obama is a racist and everyone who calls out the bloodthirsty character of Islam is an "Islamaphobe." What they don't know is political correctness was a Soviet construct to stifle the Truth. Thank G-d for people like Sarah Yoheved Rigler and Gert Wilders who saw there was no man and so became one so-to-speak and ventured out onto the limb called truth.

(12)
lloyd oestreicher,
July 22, 2012 4:06 PM

JEWS OF ARABIA

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? GOOD QUESTION.

(11)
Natalie,
July 22, 2012 3:49 PM

sad

what a depressing story or our history

(10)
Dana Saffron,
July 22, 2012 2:59 PM

We Jews need to unite and defend ourselves against our enemies

The point of this article is well-taken,
whether or not the facts depicted are 100% accurate - or- 99% accurate.
We Jews need to respect each other more and as Moshe wrote - we need to respect our own religious brethren and they should respect us, as well.
As American Jews, we need to support and vote for those who will support Israel - the only true democracy in the middle east- the only country that provides complete freedom to all its citizens- An Arab citizen in Israel has more freedom than anywhere in the middle east- crazy and ironic as that is!
As Americans, we must support Israel as our national interests are tied to Israel's survival - not to mention our own country's Judeo-Christian Founding and Core.
G-d wil bless all those who bless Israel. It's a promise that has held true throughout the world's history.
Peace upon Jerusalem and all of Israel.

(9)
Mal Cohen,
July 22, 2012 2:33 PM

history of the Jewish community in Arabia

helps make sense of contemporary anti-semitism

(8)
samuel millman,
July 22, 2012 2:03 PM

Jews must stand together

with so much hatred in the world against Jews in general and particularly the State of Israel Jews must unite or we will not survive.We have forces in our own government that I believe will not support the State of Israel when the time comes for them to take an action against the forces in Iran. Talk is cheap but action speaks louder than words. America must fully unite with Israel to challenge those that want to destroy America as well as the State of Israel. If Israel is destroyed then the west as we know it will be next and these sinister forces are in the works as we speak. Our only true friend in the middle east is the State of Israel.

Harriett Moore,
July 22, 2012 3:53 PM

I agree 100%. I pray America never turns her back on Israel. I love Israel and pray for Her.

(7)
Eunice,
July 21, 2012 10:25 PM

so sad.

thank you so much for this article.am down-spirited after reading it.

(6)
RAH,
July 20, 2012 8:38 PM

I think the best way to get ready to rebuild Achdut is for everyone to ask themselves "Why do I hate my fellow Jew" - I think we need to take care not to blur the issue of "your understanding of Torah is wrong...." that is an argument, a strong one, and full disagreements are allowed" but joy in the others downfall!!! I guess as the Torah says :Love thy neighbor as yourself" if it was so easy THERE WOULD BE NO MITZVAH!!

(5)
Anonymous,
July 20, 2012 7:30 PM

Insightful but not good reading of history.

Although I agree with the message of this article, I have to say there are serious problems regarding historical accuracy of the events. It is important to understand the complete context of events to be able to ask why such and such events happened and what conclusions could be drawn.The incidents mentioned here between the Jews and the Muslims had nothing to do with religion but had everything to do with tribal warfare. The Jewish tribes of Medina had a treaty with the Muslims that they eventually broke. These important facts, which are not mentioned in the article, hamper the idea that the hostilities were based on a religious crusade or any kind of jealousy. The author denied any intercession took place for Bani Quariza in Medina despite the fact her unlinked source said it was Sa’d ibn Muadh, a former ally of the tribe. There is also an important context missing behind the killing of Ka'b ibn Ashraf that is found in her source. One can look at Ashraf's demise in the same light as the Hamas terrorist Shaykh Yasin or Julius Striecher when passing judgment on them. The author she refers to himself has an unscholarly reading of history. The main Islamic source that Hagai Mazuz quotes, Waqidi, is not seen as reliable by Islamic scholars. I'm, reminded of those anti-Semites and holocaust deniers that take the Talmud out of context to incite racial hatred. Why would the author want to take information from someone linked to an institute that invited the racist Geert Wilders to give a lecture? There is plenty of academic scholarship on these events that don't have obvious political bias. Us Jews should not resort to maligning other religions or spin doctor history in order to protect our heritage.

Anonymous,
July 22, 2012 6:57 PM

You are a self hating suicidal jew.

(4)
Leo Stein,
July 20, 2012 4:57 PM

Jewish unity has a lot to be said for it...

stopping the occupation and ending the suffering inflicted by Jewish people on innocent people has more to be said for it.
Israel will be destroyed precisely because of senseless hatred among the Jews.

Eli Willner,
July 22, 2012 2:20 PM

Indeed, the Moslem occupation of the west bank must end now!

This is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, not of that ragtag pack of johnny-come-lately murderers who call themselves "Palestinians".

Gittel,
July 22, 2012 4:19 PM

Occupation and Suffering inflicted by Jewish people?

If these ''victims'' want to leave NOBODY is stopping them. The problem is they want ALL of Israel. Let them go home to their biological queen.Their Arabian brothers can supply the carpets.
The Jewish people have been and will continue to be united.
Our number one enemy Hitler didn't group us as ;Ortho,Conserv,or Reform we were All ONE.
It took our number one enemy to point that out.
The Israeli army is comprised with Ortho,Conserv and Reform.

(3)
Moshe,
July 19, 2012 6:34 AM

Why do I keep getting the feeling that we are such a stupid people ?

I am not proud of the way Jews behave towards each other thruout history until today. Jews are the only religion who's non-religious do not respect their own religion, so how can we expect other nations to respect us ? Religious Jews also do not behave in respect towards g-d in our places of worship.
And this is a "smart" nation ?

(2)
liora,
July 19, 2012 6:10 AM

Wow

This year tish-bea-av we shouldn't cry because of the destruction of BAIT HAMIKDASH we should for the lack of unity that is between us. Thank you so much for you words of wisdom. May we all be zoche to take a part in bringing moshiach!

(1)
Ethan,
July 19, 2012 12:39 AM

This has always been a confusing issue for me but this whole article sounds ridiculous compared to what I've actually heard about it.